- Joined
- Jun 6, 2005
- Messages
- 9,848
- Reaction score
- 4,227
- Points
- 648
- Location
- Houston, TX
- Resorts Owned
- Wynd VIP Plat GF, HGVC Elite, WM, HICV, +
So the opportunistic value is higher since we get about 4-5c/SP upon redemption and not 2.25c/SP (I used that figure for SP as the approx. consensus value)
The main difference is SP vs UR, is UR you can PURCHASE any airline or hotel that is in the portal and get 4.5% on every TRAVEL (including TS MFs spend) and Dining spend. With SP are you limited to just use points on Hotels and/or affiliated point transfers to other airline programs.
Whereas UR you can purchase ANY travel, NOT just one chain or airline, provided you can find it in the portal to book. Now I just noticed AC flights were not in there but no problem with UA or AA. When you purchase these as flights or hotels you actually earn points on them.
Now I think business and first reward you might be better off getting from the airlines, but for basic coach fares the portal works just fine.
So to me the key is flexibility and NOT being forced into a single hotel or airline system.